so from what i've read it seems like the R53 JCW brake package is just red R56 front brakes with surfboards on the calipers? any truth to this? just FYI: the car was built 01 or 02/2006. Date Of Manufacture seems to matter a lot in this community lol

i intend to buy a new set of wheels/tires in the not-too-distant future(possibly today lol). im still getting to know this little car i recently purchased and i don't know if i need wheels with an R56 or R53 hub bore, or if the front and rear hub bores are different.

more importantly, these brakes are terrible in my opinion. granted, a lot of my personal experience has been with a lot of 4 piston Wilwoods/Brembos, and almost every car i've owned has had stainless brake lines. i have known since the day i bought the car that, aside from a drop in filter for the JCW intake(went with Alta), my first upgrade would be a Wilwood F&R brake kit, which will further complicate things down the road if hub bores are different.

any help/advice would be greatly appreciated

 

See the article on brakes on my webpage c0op3r.com

The wheels for both R53 and are 56 are the same the hubs and bolt pattern will not change. Just make sure you get wheels that are large enough to go over the brakes that you were interested in.

 

That more or less sums it up....one added fact...
The LUG BOLT diameter is what changed... From a std lug to one that was +2 bigger in mid 2006....a 12 mm lug to a 14 mm I think....but the hub size STAYED THE SAME...
The newer rims will fit on the cars with the smaller (I am actually running rims off a 2013 on my 2005).....

 

And yes...
Production DATE does matter....
Located on the data plate located on the driver side door...will list a month and yes...
Mini rolled out changes on a monthly basis, rather than waiting for model year changes...

 

Ahhh okay so the wheel bolt diameter is all that changed? I knew those were an issue on later 2006 cars I just wasn't sure if the hub bore diameter was an issue.

Thanks for the replies

 

Hub diameter is the same on all the cars. For use machinist types 2.525" works. lol

The lug bolts went from 12mm to 14mm. Anything for a 12 can be oversized (if needed) and works just fine with 14s.